


Winter's Palace

by KimpatsuNoHoseki



Series: Mettius Tarasyl'an [7]
Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: M/M, Rogue Inquisitor - Freeform, Spying, The Great Game, mage inquisitor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-04
Updated: 2020-07-04
Packaged: 2021-03-05 06:22:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,040
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25069894
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KimpatsuNoHoseki/pseuds/KimpatsuNoHoseki
Summary: Everyone attends Empress Celine's ball and it's Cole's first experience with Orlais' Great Game. Good thing he's given a job and can check in with his friends while the Inquisitor and others are busy.
Relationships: Male Inquisitor/Dorian Pavus
Series: Mettius Tarasyl'an [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1768138
Comments: 2
Kudos: 28





	Winter's Palace

**Author's Note:**

> Cole's POV. Italics denote past events instead of thoughts

Cole crouched down in the shadows of the second floor balcony overlooking the gardens where Maryden played. His position offered him a great spot to watch Dorian while not being seen by others in the garden. Dorian knew he was there, the compassion spirit having told him earlier. 

_ “Dorian.” Cole spoke up as he appeared beside the mage in the garden. _

_ “Cole, how are you holding up?” Dorian asked the spirit. Cole knew that Mettius had informed Dorian on what he was. Both of them welcomed and encouraged his assistance around Skyhold; like Varric. _

_ “The slippers didn’t match the shawl and now the Duke won’t speak to me.” Cole muttered staring at the women in the corner of the balcony gardens. “But if Herleva stumbles I can get him back. Why do they hide their faces, Dorian?” _

_ “Ah yes, the Great Game. Not likely a place you will be comfortable in. This isn’t quite as elaborate as what we do in Tevinter, but nonetheless, not a great space for you. Best if you find a corner to watch from instead of interacting directly. I’m sure Mettius would love any information you can gather for him and our lovely bird.” Dorian placed a calming hand on the spirit’s shoulder as he took a sip from a glass of wine.  _

Cole’s position offered him a great view as Mettius entered the garden, likely searching for Dorian. Their love always seemed to flare brighter the closer they were. Their presence mingled and often made it hard for Cole to hear them. Which was good, they are able to heal each other. Cole enjoyed watching it happen, it made his job easier. 

Mettius was briefly stopped from reaching Dorian by three women in masks. Cole could have sworn they were further back in the garden when he first came through the door. The masks must given them extra speed, Cole thought as Mettius finally detached himself from them. He smiled and gave a little wave when Mettius’s eyes landed on him just as he reached Dorian’s side. No one would cause Dorian any hurt while he was there. Not after all the two had done for him. Cole let the shadows hide him further as he settled in to watch the small tangles of hurt in Dorian unwind. Whatever memories this place brought up in the man, Mettius’s presence alone was enough to smooth over. 

Cole let his mind drift away from Dorian’s below him to touch upon the others in the garden. If there was anything he could glean to pass on to Mettius, he would find it.

“Thank you for watching out for us, Cole.” Cole couldn’t help but preen a little as Mettius settled by his side.

“The hurt is cleared when you’re together. I don’t do anything.” Cole replied, glancing over at Mettius. “Dorian says I can help by passing you information I hear.”

“That would be helpful. All these masks to hide, but they can’t hide from their thoughts.” Mettius slipped a piece of parchment into Cole’s pocket. “While you listen, if you find anymore notes like that please make sure that Leliana gets them tonight.”

“They will heal the pain?”

“Some, but some pain might be necessary before it goes away. Healing the pain from one may also cause pain in another. But, I do not want you to worry about that. That is Leliana’s job. If it is too hard for you, I can ask someone else.” Cole liked that Mettius took in his nature as a compassion spirit into account when giving him jobs. Made it easier for his spirit half to agree with the human half. 

“I can do it. The papers will help remove the masks which will help remove the hurt. Hiding behind a mask is never the solution.” 

“Thank you for coming with us here tonight Cole, it will get ugly below before it gets better. But we will help heal this nation.” Mettius ruffled Cole’s hair a little as he stood back up and made his way into a hidden room on the second floor. The act always reminded Cole of when his body was younger, sadly Dorian and Mettius were the only ones to do so now. Varric might, but he was too short.

Cole stayed a while longer to collect secrets for Leliana. It was like a little game to see how many he could collect in one place. As he passed Dorian’s position to leave the garden, the man slipped him another set of secrets written down.

Dorian was good at playing these games too. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“You shouldn’t eat that.” Cole stated as he appeared next to Varric in the Hall of Champions. 

“Kids, stopping popping out of nowhere.” Varric fumbled the cake he slipped away to eat. “Why shouldn’t I eat this?”

“Sera did something to them right before the elves brought them up. She said something about showing the pissy asses what happens when you kill elfs.” Cole tilted his head to the side. “I think she wasn’t happy with what the group who entered the kitchens found.”

“Yah, I heard about that from Dorian as he passed back through to his post. Courts really love their intrigue and backstabbing.” Varric set down the cake and carefully wiped his hands clean. No telling what the crazy elf did to the cakes if she was aiming to take revenge.

“Mettius wouldn’t allow her to go crazy, would he?” Cole asked in concern, picking up Varric’s thoughts.

“Nah, he’s a good leader. He won’t mind her having fun here as long as it’s mostly harmless. Anything too extreme will force others’ hands. He needs to pay attention and find the real assassin, not anyone who’s upset by Buttercup. She will know that now is not the time.” Varric shrugged, “but better safe than not. Most of her tinkering leads to heavy embarrassment. Best for all Inquisition members to keep clear of her cakes.”

“I’ll let the others know.” 

“Thanks, Kid.”

Cole disappeared and made his way to everyone else’s positions one by one to warn them from the cakes Sera messed with. If he took a little longer at his friends, causing him to arrive just as Solas finished one… well that was something only he and Mettius would ever need to know. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cole was surprised by how many scraps of parchment with secrets he found scattered about. It was as if someone had done much of his job for him. He was also careful to keep track of thoughts he picked up from those he passed. 

After a while of finding nothing new, Cole slipped into the main ballroom to find Leliana. She was good at hiding herself from him, but today all he had to do was follow the thoughts of those who encountered her. Many went to her with schemes of getting closer to the Inquisitor but left confused, hurt, or otherwise distracted. At times, Cole wondered if Leliana was a corrupted compassion spirit since she could affect others like he can. 

“Do you have something for me, Cole?” The spirit startled from his place next to her. He hadn’t quite worked out how she always knew when he was there. Others usually didn’t notice him unless he wanted them to.

“Mettius asked that I bring these to you.” He stated as he passed over the notes. “Also, the flower countess is sad that her garden is dying.”

“Yes, Duke Vespar is poisoning her fertilizer because she turned him down for marriage.” Leliana murmured reading through the notes.

“Her neighbor is too, she doesn’t like that the Duke isn’t interested in her.”

“Oh? I can work with that, get two ladies indebted to us.” Leliana quickly wrote a message on the back of one of the notes. “Pass this to Josie when you pass her.”

“The garden merchants are arguing on what their prices should be when the war is over.”

“Not unusual.”

“The dwarves disagree with them.”

“Intriguing…. We might be able to… hmm…”

“She’s jealous of your shoes.” Leliana glanced up at that. A casual glance around the room showed who Cole got that from. The Lady wasn’t very subtle about her glances at Leliana’s wardrobe; hadn’t been all night. 

“Yes, she’s wearing last year’s fashion because her family is losing money in the war faster than they can make it. She can’t afford the current fashion which will drop her in the Game the longer her family continues to lose money. They are not a piece we can play with. Yet.”

“He just wanted to help the elves. He didn’t mean for anyone to find out. Why couldn’t he have kept quiet, the stupid boy.” Cole looked at another woman.

“Ah yes, I had heard about her son. They found out he was a mage when he cast spells to light the fire in the slaves’ quarters. He got sent to the Chantry and now they don’t have an heir.”

“Did he not come to the Inquisition with the other mages?”

“No, he died when the rebellion started. The dancing will be starting soon, Cole. Why don’t you watch with Lord Pavus?” Cole nodded and started to leave. “And Cole, thank you for the notes. They will be very helpful for Mettius.” Cole flashed her a smile before darting over and leaving the message for Josephine. She was busy talking with her sister, so he left the note in her dress pocket before moving on to find Dorian. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cole wandered over to where Dorian stood with Cullen and Varric after the drama was over. The three men were discussing what the outcome could mean for the Inquisition, but Cole was focused on listening to Mettius. 

“The advisor is leaving.” Cole interrupted.

“What’s that, kid?” Varric asked as they paused their conversation.

“The Queen’s advisor has knocked Mettius, but she leaves now.”

“Knocked Mettius? What do you mean Cole?” Cullen asked in concern, glancing around the ballroom; checking for any disturbances.

“His thoughts are muddled now. You should go to him.” Cole spoke to Dorian. “You always make things better.”

"I thought you couldn't hear the Inquisitor because of the mark?" Varric quarried.

"The Mark is bright, makes it hard to hear; but the light changes. Dimmer when his Amatus is gone, agitated when speaking to those from the Chantry, blinding when they-"

“It will be my pleasure, Cole. Where is he right now?” Dorian interrupted, he had a feeling he knew what Cole was going to say next and resolved to find a time to speak to Mettius about their activities.

“On the balcony.” Cole pointed towards the balcony that Mettius, Gaspard, Celene, and Briala had had their discussion before they had all reached agreement. “He went back after the speech.”

“Thank you. Gentlemen, we’ll see you back at the carriages.” With a nod of his head and a ruffle to Cole’s hair, Dorian left for the balcony; stopping only to allow Lady Morrigan, Celene’s occult advisor, to pass. Cole followed behind to ensure that no one interrupted the two. “There was an ancient dowager looking for you. Said she had twelve daughters! I told her you had left already. You can thank me later or now, Amatus. But you look lost in thought, anything on your mind?”

“It has been a long time since I’ve meddled in courts like this. I was never a fan of Orlais once it formed.”

“What you need is a distraction. I have just the thing; let’s dance.” Dorian offered. Cole liked watching them dance. Even when Dorian started it, Mettius always ended up leading. He was glad that Dorian offered to dance, Mettius shines brighter whenever Dorian was in his arms. Being near them was like one of Leliana’s nugs basking in the sun; warm and content. 

Cole smiled softly as Mettius’s mind calmed. Both men lost themselves in their dance, not once misstepping even when Mettius pulled Dorian into a kiss. 

“Give them five minutes, kid, before directing them to the carriages. I’ll round everyone else up. It’s time to leave this mess.” Varric stated as he glanced out the doors to where the two men had stopped dancing and instead kissed in the moonlight. 


End file.
